1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to card edge connectors, more particularly to card edge connectors with an improved retainer.
2. Description of Related Art
Card edge connectors are employed widely in computers to receive a memory card, graphic card, network interface et al. The card edge connector usually have an elongated housing, a plurality of contacts retained in the housing for electrically connecting a corresponding mating card, and at least a retainer at one end thereof for locking the mating card. The housing has a pair of side walls, a central slot between the side walls for receiving the mating card, and a first tower at one end thereof. The first tower defines a mounting slot extending therethrough along an up to down direction and a pair of limiting walls at two sides of the mounting slot. The retainer is upwardly assembled to the mounting slot and upwardly extends beyond the first tower. The retainer has a retaining portion at a lower side thereof and a flexible arm portion upwardly extending from the retaining portion. The retaining portion is wider than the arm portion, and the mounting slot is formed with a step portion at inner side thereof to limit the retaining portion from moving upwardly. The arm portion has a guiding portion upwardly and sidewardly extending beyond the first tower at an upper side thereof for guiding the electronic card being inserted into the central slot and a locking projection inwardly extending to lock with the electronic card.
In an insertion process of the electronic card, a side edge of the electronic card downwardly moves between the limiting walls along the guiding portion, at this time, the electronic card sidewardly resists the arm portion; when the electronic card is fully inserted into the central slot, the arm portion rebounds to make the locking projection lock with the electronic card for preventing the electronic card from moving upwardly.
However, because the arm portion is flexible, the electronic card can be pushed to move along a length direction when an electrical device which is mounted with the card edge connector and the electronic card is vibrated, an electrical connection between the card edge connector and the electronic card would be affected to be unstable; besides, the first tower is only formed with the step portion to prevent the mounting portion of the retainer from moving upwardly, while there is not any other structure to prevent the retainer from moving downwardly, therefore, the retainer can be pushed downwardly out of the housing when the electronic card downwardly presses the guiding portion in the insertion process of the electronic card.
Hence, an improved card edge connector is desired to overcome the above problems.